(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying power to a transmitter of a fuel cell vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying power to a transmitter of a fuel cell vehicle that includes a sensing apparatus for opening/closing a fuel door, a normal power source, and the power supply apparatus that selectively supplies power to an InfraRed (IR) data transmitter of a fuel cell vehicle.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a fuel cell is a nonpolluting power supply apparatus that generates electricity by producing a chemical reaction in a fuel, e.g., hydrogen and oxygen in the air and thus, provide a clean energy alternative which does not require the use of fossil fuels.
An electrical generator system using a fuel cell can be used as a generator in a large building or a power source for electric vehicles. In addition, the fuel cell can utilize a variety of fuels including natural gas and city gas as viable alternative to hydrogen.
Typically, however, a hydrogen charger is used to charge the fuel cell, and the charging is fulfilled by transmitting/receiving between a vehicle and the charger. That is, if the transmitter of the vehicle transmits data to the hydrogen charger, a required amount of fuel is charged by the hydrogen charger as a direct result. The hydrogen is charged into the fuel cell vehicle via data input into the hydrogen charger through a charging nozzle, which connects the fuel cell vehicle to the hydrogen charger.
Particularly, a normal communication charging method is used in a 70 Mpa hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in order to control the hydrogen charging speed for safety reasons. Communication methods include a wireless communication method and a wired communication method, but there is a tendency to use the wired communication method because of its desirable properties. However, there has recently been a tendency to use IR communication, which is enacted in SAE J2799, which is a wireless communication protocol.
When hydrogen is charged in the above method, it is always in a key-off state. Therefore, the required power is supplied to the transmitter of the vehicle by a normal power source, but there is a fear that the normal power source may be discharged. Because hydrogen is charged in a key-off state, the normal power source has to be supplied to transmit inner temperature data and pressure data of the hydrogen storage system to the hydrogen charger in real time. It takes 10 to 20 minutes for the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle to be charged, so the amount of power consumed is not much. However, the charging time can be lengthened because of a charging speed reduction via a temperature increase in the tank in summer and the capacity of a charger compressor.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.